Rumor Lyn
by MariCareBear
Summary: Ephram tells Amy he's moving back to New York and she doesn't take it well, Colin and Vanessa attempt to cheer her up...Final Chapter, cute ending please R&R Completed
1. Chapter 1

OK this may start out as a lot of other fics do but as far as I can tell this is totally original idea.  
  
Laine Hammond steps out of the taxi cab and immediately stands out against the town of Everwood, from her long black braids half of which are dyed electric blue and her entire outfit makes it obvious that she isn't from Everwood. "Thank you." Laine reaches back into the taxi to pay the driver, and her accent screams New York City. Throwing her only piece of luggage over her shoulder Laine reaches back into the cab and removes a baby carrier.  
"Are you sure this is where you want to be?" The cab driver asks through the open window.  
"Yeah." Laine nods.  
"I'm sorry, it's just that you don't look like you belong here." The cab driver adds.  
"I don't, and I'm not staying. But thanks." With Laine's last sentence she searches the small city around her and spots a phone booth in a small park across the street.  
  
"Delia will you get the phone?" Andy calls from the kitchen, where he is going through some work.  
"I'm watching a movie can't Ephram?" Delia whines.  
"Ephram's studying for finals with Amy upstairs, don't disturb them."  
Delia sighs but rolls off the couch and picks up the telephone, "Hello?"  
  
Laine can't help but smile at the voice on the other line, Delia, the little girl she had baby-sat for so many years when she was little, "May I please speak to Ephram."  
"Yeah hang on." If the voice on the other end of the line was familiar to Delia the younger girl didn't let on as she called up stairs for her brother.  
  
"Ephram!" Delia calls, "the phones for you!"  
Waiting a couple minutes Delia listens as her brother picks up the phone before replacing the handset in the cradle.  
"Hello?"  
  
"Ephram meet me at your new God-forsaken town's park."  
  
The single sentence is all Ephram needs to know who is on the other line, but before he can ask why Laine Hammond, who has never set foot out of New York City, is in Everwood the other line clicks and all Ephram can hear is the dial tone.  
"Who was that?" Amy asks looking up from the History book they are studying.  
"Um, nobody." Ephram shakes his head trying to figure out what to do. "Listen do you mind if I...Amy I have to run to the park do you mind if..."  
Amy shakes her head and rolls her eyes, "Go ahead."  
"OK and listen if my dad offers you food don't take it."  
"Check." Amy laughs as Ephram heads out the door.  
  
Ephram spots her immediately, not that there are many other people in the park. "Laine!" Ephram calls jogging across the street.   
Laine stands up and turns around a nervous smile plastered across her face. Ephram stops short, taking Laine in, she stands barely 5 feet tall and she's one of the most beautiful people Ephram knew; with a beautiful personality to match Ephram and Laine had been friends since they were little and had dated from 8th grade until Ephram had left New York.  
Ephram finally reaches Laine and hugs her kissing her on the cheek gently, "Laine what are you doing here?"  
"Ephram, I need to talk to you." Laine's draws the sentence out, making it obvious to Ephram that she is upset about something.  
"Really?" Ephram asks arching an eyebrow, "I mean it's an everyday occurrence for my ex-girlfriends whom I haven't spoken to since I moved away to show up across the country." Laine doesn't respond, only chews on her lower lip nervously, "Lainie what are you doing here, you've never set foot out of New York before, what's going on?"  
"Ephram." Laine takes a step backward causing Ephram to look down on the bench for the first time. His gaze first settles on a pink bag decorated with yellow ducks, moving his gaze Ephram's eyes land on a baby tucked carefully into a baby carrier.  
"Laine what is this?" Ephram asks stunned.   
"Ephram you may want to sit down." Laine replies taking a seat herself.  
"Laine I'm not joking what's going on? Who's baby?"  
"Mine." Laine sighs, "Ours. Ephram remember before you left, when we-"  
"Of course I remember Laine! But we were careful...That can't be my baby!" Ephram exclaims.  
Tears springs to Laine's eyes, "Ephram there was never anyone else, I swear, I wouldn't lie about this."  
Ephram sighs and buries his face in his hands, "I know Laine. Why didn't you tell me?"  
"Ephram I didn't know until school started and you were gone. And when my parents found out they were really understanding, my mom suggested that maybe we not tell you. I mean you had just lost your mom and moved here."  
"Then why are you telling me now? If you decided that you needed to not tell me then why are you telling me now?" Ephram looks up at Laine who is avoiding eye contact.  
"Ephram I got a scholarship to my dream fashion design school, the only catch is they don't know I have a baby and they can't, ever, they'll take away my scholarship"   
"What are you going to do about it then?" Ephram asks.  
"You have to take her Ephram." Laine softly replies.  
"Laine I can't, I mean...my dad's not as understanding as your parents. And I don't know..." Ephram buries his head in his hands. They both fall silent and neither say anything, the baby is the first to break the silence and when her cries don't soften Ephram looks up to find Laine gone. Jumping up Ephram turns around to see Laine hoping on a bus as it pulls away.  
"Laine!" Ephram calls, but it's not use the bus barrels down the street away from Ephram and her child. "Shh, shh don't cry." Ephram tries to soothe softly reaching for the diaper bag for anything to quiet the baby. Lying on top of all the baby necessities is a piece of paper with the words: CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH written across the top. "Rumor Lyn," Ephram laughs bitterly, "born November 12th, making you 6 months old. Laine what have you gotten me into." Ephram shakes his head, "No, this is as much my fault as it is Lyn's, but what am I going to do?" Finding a pacifier though Ephram sticks it in the baby's mouth quieting it for a time.  
  
"Ephram where have you been?" Andy calls when Ephram walks in the front door. "Amy's been waiting here since you left. You've been gone 45 minutes, I invited Amy to stay for dinner..."  
By the time Ephram has walked into the kitchen everyone else has fallen silent, "Who's baby?" Amy asks setting her glass of water down on the counter.  
"Who called earlier Ephram?" Andy asks curiously looking back and forth between Ephram and the baby in the carrier who is oddly happy despite the tension in the room.  
"Was it Laine who called earlier Ephram?" Delia asks.  
"Yeah Delia it was." Ephram responds to the final question.  
"Who's baby is it Ephram?" Andy repeats Amy's question.  
"Maybe I should go..." Amy suggests moving toward the door.  
"Don't go Amy you're going to have to hear about it anyway, might as well be right now." Ephram sighs.  
"Ephram who's baby?" Andy asks insistently.  
"I don't know if you remember Dad but Laine was my girlfriend in New York." Ephram starts.  
"You may think I was a lousy father Ephram but I do remember Laine." Andy replies taking a deep breath.  
"When I told Lyn I was moving away from New York we basically decided that we would break up, neither one of us wanted a long distance relationship, but we did decide that before I left we were ready to have sex."  
"Is it your baby?" Andy asks, surprisingly, to everyone around him, calm.  
"Lyn says she is. And I have no reason to doubt her." Ephram states, turning the carrier around he states, "She's got mom's eyes exactly, I believe Laine." Ephram holds out her birth certificate.  
"Rumor Lyn Brown." Andy reads aloud.  
"Rumor?" Delia asks, "That's a weird name."  
"Laine always said if she had a girl she would name her Rumor, well she did...and she did." Ephram sighs.  
No one says anything and once again Rumor is the first one to break the silence with her wails. Both Andy, Ephram and Delia stare at the baby unsure of what to do, but Amy takes charge. "You know she probably needs her diaper changed." Amy states, "Give her to me."  
Amy lifts her out of the baby carrier and takes the diaper bag from Ephram, "Her mom sure didn't leave her much, you're going to need diapers and baby food, she's got some clothes in here but from my baby-sitting experiences she'll go through those quickly."  
"Amy if you don't mind making a list of things we'll need tonight I can run to the store and pick them up."  
"Sure." Amy nods and quickly lists off a few things they would need. "Ephram if you want I'll teach you how to change a diaper."  
"Sure can you hang on a second though?" Ephram asks and Amy nods as Ephram follows his father to the entrance way. "Dad, I'm sorry."  
Andy sighs before turning around to face his son, "Listen Ephram, I'm sure every other dad in the world would want to scream at you. And part of me does, but when you walked in that door I know you're sorry. I also know that staying angry isn't going to help anyone here, there's a baby girl in their who needs to be taken care of."  
Ephram can't help but smile at his father, "Thanks Dad."  
  
When Ephram returned to the living room he found Delia showing Amy a picture of Laine, "Lainie used to baby sit for me whenever my mom couldn't. She used to live on the floor below us, her dad was a lawyer and she was an only child." Delia finishes telling when Ephram walks in.  
"Delia I'll talk to you a little bit later, why don't you go find something to do and give Amy and I chance to talk?" Ephram suggests.  
Delia looks back and forth between the two, shrugs and walks away. "She's pretty." Amy states handing Ephram the picture of both Laine and Ephram together at a school dance.  
Ephram talks while Amy changes Rumor's diaper, "Laine's mom and my mom had grown up together, they were best friends. Kind of like Colin and Bright I guess. You couldn't separate them, and because Rumor was only 6 months and a grade older than me we grew up together. When we were little we did everything and the transition to boyfriend and girlfriend was simple, natural almost. And well you know the rest. You would have liked Laine, she was a lot like you. We had nothing in common if you haven't all ready guessed."  
"How come I'm just hearing about her? Why didn't you ever tell me about her?" Amy asks.  
Ephram shrugs, "She never came up. Listen Amy it's a Friday night I know you have a date with Colin you don't have to stay."  
Amy glares at Ephram in response, "Ephram you helped me when I needed your help so now I'm helping you. Can I use the phone?" Ephram hands Amy the phone and listens quietly as she speaks, "Listen Colin something came up, why don't you go out with Bright instead? Great bye." Amy flashes a smile at Ephram but dials another number, and Ephram's gaze wanders to Rumor who now sits contentedly in Amy's lap. Rumor's dark kinky black hair is tied into two pink little ponytails, her skin is in-between Laine's mocha skin and Ephram's pale skin and she is dressed in a pink sleeveless dress edged in white.  
"I told my dad I was going to be late." Amy states as she hangs up the phone again. "You should hold her Ephram."  
"Me?" Ephram asks surprised, "I don't think so."  
"Ephram she's your daughter, you're going to have to hold her some time." Amy arches an eyebrow.   
"I might break her." Ephram states softly.  
"You won't break her." Amy states holding her out to Ephram who takes her uneasily from Amy holding her away from his body under the arms. Rumor just giggles and kicks her feet with her hands reaching toward Ephram.  
When she gives a small yawn Ephram smiles, "You should probably feed her, that will put her to sleep." Amy states.  
"What?" Ephram asks pulling his gaze from Rumor to Amy.  
"There's a bottle in here with milk, it will probably put her to sleep." Amy repeats holding out the pink clear plastic baby bottle. Amy takes Rumor from Ephram as she shows him how to hold her, "You honestly have never held a baby?" Amy asks stunned.  
"Not since Delia was a baby, and I was only 7."  
Amy smiles, placing Rumor back into Ephram's arms and then hands him the bottle.  
  
"Andy," Nina looks up surprised to see Andy in the grocery store. "Didn't you order food for dinner? Was there something wrong with it?"  
"No," Andy shakes his head, he had been so caught up in his thoughts he hadn't even noticed that he had parked his car next to Nina's.  
"What's going on?" Nina asks catching Andy's thoughtful expression.  
"Ephram came home today with a baby, who, his is telling me, is his daughter."  
"What?" Nina exclaims surprised, "Andy repeat that all and make it make sense this time."  
And slowly as they walk into the grocery store Andy recounts the last 20 minutes to Nina, "Well I think you handled it very well." Nina states thoughtfully. "But I can't believe if. Ephram with a baby, that makes you a grandfather."  
Andy sighs and runs a hand through his hair, "I hadn't even thought of that."  
"Come on Grandpa," Nina jokes, "I'll help you figure out what you are going to need."  
  
"Thank you Amy." Ephram whispers as both he and Amy watching Rumor, who had fallen asleep after half of a bottle.  
"For what?" Amy whispers back.  
"For the last hour." Ephram replies.  
"Ephram we're friends, and we help each other out when they need it. You spent all your time and energy into helping me since you moved here, this year it's my turn. I'm going to help you." Amy laughs softly, "I can't believe you have never held a baby since Delia."  
Ephram rolls his eyes, "Where would I have held a baby?"   
Amy shrugs, "I don't know, I'm going to go see what Delia's up to. I'll be back."  
Amy softly walks up the stairs and when she reaches Delia's room she knocks on the door softly, "Who is it?" Delia calls back, she doesn't sound as cheerful as she usually does.  
"It's Amy, can I come in?"  
"I guess." Delia calls back as Amy pushes the door open.  
"What's wrong?" Amy asks finding Delia laying on her bed with her head buried into her pillow.  
"Why do you think there's something wrong?" Delia asks, her voice muffled by the pillows.  
"Delia, come on what's wrong?" Amy asks sitting down gently on Delia's bed.  
When Delia flips over on her back and then props her self up with her back against the pillows Amy can tell that she has been crying, "Is this how it's always going to be now?" Delia asks softly.  
"What do you mean Delia?" Amy asks puzzled.  
"Well I mean he just told me to go away. Is the baby going to change everything?" Delia asks her voice more angry this time. "We just got used to living in Everwood and used to being a family is SHE going to change all of that?"  
"Of course she is." Amy states slowly trying to make her point clear, "But not in a bad way, you have a niece now and that's going to change how you are. But when you get to know her you are going to love her as much as you love Ephram and your dad."  
"Everything's going to be different." Delia states.  
Amy nods, "I know Delia, but I think once you get used to her being here you'll start to like it."  
"You think?" Delia asks brushing the back of her hand against her cheeks.  
"I do, and listen if you get me a camera I think we should take a picture of your brother and the first time he held Rumor, what do you think?" Amy asks.  
Delia shrugs and pushing herself off of her bed and walks over to her desk and opening a drawer pulls out a camera, "It was my mom's and it's pretty good."  
"Thanks Delia, come on." Amy says taking the camera from Delia and leading the way down stairs.  
"How cute." Delia whispers peeking behind Amy who is taking pictures of Ephram, who has also fallen asleep, sitting on the couch holding Rumor. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
As a quick note, because I had questions asked about this Rumor's mother's name is pronounces Lane...as in I live on Rubber Tree Lane OK?  
  
"Good morning everyone." Nina's words are bright a week later when she walks into the kitchen the Saturday after school let out.  
"Good morning," both Andy and Delia respond but Nina notices Ephram's absence.  
"Where's Ephram and Rumor?" Nina asks as Sam follows in behind her.  
"He's upstairs trying to talk on the phone and get Rumor dressed at the same time." Delia giggles, "Rumor likes to grab at the phone, Amy's getting hung up on all the time."  
"Is Amy still coming with us?" Nina asks holding out a bottle of sun screen to Delia.  
Andy nods, "I believe so, she's fallen in love with Rumor I think."  
"We all have." Andy nods.  
With the knock on the door Delia rushes to open it, "Amy come in."  
"Amy we could have picked you up." Andy states.  
"I know, Ephram said but I have something for Rumor, so I'll be right back down." Amy holds up the bag and then hurries up the stairs.  
Ephram appears in the kitchen moments later, "Where's Rumor?" Delia asks.  
"Amy has decided that she's dressing her up this morning." Ephram rolls his eyes, "Girls."  
"When are we leaving for the zoo?" Sam asks looking back and forth between everyone.  
"Once Amy gets done dressing the baby then we have to stop at a store and then we will go to the zoo kiddo." Andy replies.  
"What do we have to get at the store?" Sam asks taking the juice box Ephram has pulled out of the refrigerator and offered him.  
"A stroller for Rumor." Ephram responds, "Delia will you get me the diaper bag for me?"  
Delia nods and dashes upstairs returning with the bag Laine had left in hand, "Amy bought Rumor the cutest new outfit." With her words Delia drops the bag off on the counter and runs back upstairs.  
Ephram pulls out the several pink plastic baby bottles that both Laine had left and they had bought. The week since Laine had left Rumor with Ephram had been the craziest Ephram ever had, he'd barely had time to think before he launched into his new role as a single teenage father. Studying for Sophomore year finals had been completely forgotten by both Amy and Ephram. Saturday and Sunday after Rumor had appeared Amy, Ephram, Delia and Andy had spent the day in Denver shopping, coming home with enough furniture to furnish Rumor's room and everything else that was necessary for Rumor, including a couple of outfits. But a stroller had been forgotten in all of the excitement.   
"Look how cute she looks." Delia states as she and Amy, who carries Rumor, enters the kitchen area.  
She did look cute, Ephram smiles when they come into the kitchen. Amy had her dressed up in a pair of jeans with red and white trim and a white tank with the same trim around the neckline and the sleeves,on the front of the shirt with a single cherry stitched into the front of it. Ephram assumed that the headband that Rumor had just thrown on the ground had once been placed in her hair so Ephram picked up the headband.  
"Do you wanna go see Daddy?" Amy asks Rumor. Amy had been the first one to actually call Ephram Daddy, it had thrown everyone off at first but now everyone, despite the fact that it was only a week later, was used to it.  
Rumor transitions into Ephram's arms easily planting a kissing on Amy's cheek before being moved away and then another on Ephram's when she is in his arms.   
"Are we ready to go?" Andy asks finally.  
"Yay!" Sam calls out cheerfully causing Rumor to giggle and clap.  
"I'll take the bag from you." Amy states pulling at the diaper bag on Ephram's shoulder.  
"It's all right, you don't have to thanks Amy." Ephram replies.  
"Ephram, you look weird with the bag, just let me take it." Amy laughs taking the bag as they walk out the front door.  
"Amy!" Ephram and Amy turn to see Colin and Bright walking down the street.  
"I'll be right back." Amy says hurrying towards her boyfriend and brother.   
"Where are you going?" Colin asks after Amy kisses him on the cheek.  
"I told you, I'm going with Ephram's family to the Denver Zoo." Amy replies, "You don't mind right?"  
"No of course not," Colin shakes his head, "Are date for tomorrow night is still on though right?"  
"Of course. Listen though I've got to get going we're ready to leave I'll see you later." Amy calls over her shoulder before rushing back to the group piling into the car.  
  
"I don't want you to feel obligated to come with me when we invite you." Ephram states softly from the new minivan his father had bought only a month ago. "If you wanted to do something with Colin and Bright today we wouldn't have been offended."  
Amy moved forward in her seat so she can look Ephram in the face around Rumor's car seat, "I'm not doing this for you, I'm doing this for me. First off I love the zoo and second I love Rumor, you've got a cute daughter Ephram who I really like playing with. So see this isn't for you this is for me entirely, I'm being selfish."  
Ephram just rolls his eyes at Amy and the two continue to play with Rumor on the ride to Denver.  
  
For the most part the month of June passed by uneventfully, well as uneventfully as possible in a house with a 6/7 month old. Everyone's love for Rumor was growing at the rate Rumor was. And as Rumor changed so did everyone around her. Ephram had lucked out, Rumor had all ready begun sleeping through the night by the time Laine left her and with the few exceptions Rumor for the most part didn't deprive her father of sleep.   
The change in Ephram's personality was noticeable to everyone. Andy had feared that being left with a baby would make Ephram more bitter, more angry at the world. Rumor, thought, seemed to have the exact opposite on Ephram, he was a devoted father and spent every moment happily taking care of Rumor.   
Once Delia got used to the fact that she was no longer the baby she couldn't see Rumor coming to live with them as anything other than something good. The effect on her brother made her smile but more than anything it brought Ephram and Andy closer together. Ephram seemed ready to forget that there had ever been any problem between them and both grandfather and father were getting along better than Delia had ever seen them.  
Nina and Sam (Along with Amy) spent a lot of time at the Brown house. Weekends were spent on different outings and trips out of Everwood were regular. Nina was able to offer any advice she could give to Ephram about taking care of Rumor and she offered to baby-sit whenever Ephram couldn't find anyone else.  
Amy was spending a lot of time with Ephram, nothing romantic, but she was extremely attached to Rumor. Rumor in return adored Amy and would giggle and clap whenever she came around.  
July 4th, and the anniversary of Colin's accident dawned bright and warm, perfect for a town picnic.  
  
"Glad to see you two finally come downstairs this morning."  
"One of us wanted to play in the bath more than get clean. Where's Delia?" Ephram asks entering the living room with Rumor who's wrapped in a towel and playing peek-a-boo with her grandfather over the edge of the pink towel.  
"What are you doing munchkin?" Andy asks talking Rumor from Ephram, "Running back and forth with Sam. Nina and I waited until this morning to decide on who is bringing what to the picnic. Are we going to see Amy at the picnic?"  
"I'm not sure." Ephram responds reaching into the refrigerator to get a bottle of juice out for Rumor and a water bottle for himself. "With this being a year since the accident I have a feeling she's going to to want to spend some extra time with Colin."  
"That's understandable, she's been really great these last couple of months." Andy states.  
"Do you want to feed her or should I?" Ephram asks.  
"I'll do it." Andy takes the bottle from Ephram.  
"I know, she's great, Rumor's really attached to her." Ephram responds rooting through the fridge uncomfortably. "But she's got a life, she's got Colin."  
"How's things with you and Colin anyway, I mean for a time he wanted to be friends didn't he?"  
"Yeah he did and he's a nice guy. But nice guys still have their limits, and I'm getting the feeling that he's not entirely liking all the time Amy spends over here. So I told her she should probably spend more time with him." Ephram's voice is still muffled.  
"So that's what you guys were fighting about last night." Andy states.  
"You heard?"   
"I went next door to take something to Nina's, I heard." Andy confirms.  
"We weren't arguing, we were just." Ephram sighs, "OK we were fighting. Amy says Colin's not the jealous type, jealous type or not, I'm still another teenage guy who she spends a lot of time with."  
"Amy seems pretty capable of taking care of herself when it comes down to it." Andy replies.  
"I know. That's what she said." Ephram nods and seems about to say something else when Sam and Delia burst in.   
"Mom wants to know if we want potato salad or coleslaw or both?"  
"Nina's giving up and going to the grocery store." Delia informs after Sam asks his question.  
"Tell her both." Andy replies handing bills to Delia, "Give these to Nina, tell her I'd go but I still have to shower."  
Delia nods and Delia returns only moments later, "She says to keep the money but she says that she still has to shower so we might be getting a later start than usual too."  
"Why don't you give me the money, car keys and a list and I will go get the food. I'm showered, I'm dressed, I have nothing left to do." Ephram states.  
"That's good." Andy states, "Delia would you mind running back of and telling Nina that Ephram will go?"  
"Sure." Delia shrugs.  
Ephram lifts Rumor, who's nearly done with her bottle, out his father's arms, "I'll take her with me so you and Nina can get ready."  
  
"Ephram!" Ephram stops the cart he is pushing, with Rumor sitting in the baby carrier.  
"Mrs. Abbott Happy Fourth of July." Ephram greets Amy's mother and brother, "Hey Bright."  
"You have Rumor with you." Rose points out, "Amy is always going on an on about Rumor. Is your family going to the town picnic?"  
Ephram nods, "Delia can't wait, and you know Dad willing to jump into any one of Everwood's traditions."  
"Good." Rose smiles, "I'll have to hold Rumor then, we're just doing some last minute shopping for the picnic. So we'll see you later."  
Ephram nods, "Bye." Continuing to push his cart he is stopped once again by Bright, "Bright what can I do for you?"  
"Lay of my sister. She's not your girlfriend." Bright hisses.  
"I'm not going to get into an argument with you about your sister." Ephram replies.  
"I'm serious Brown, she and Colin are happy. Don't screw it up." Bright shoots quickly before hurrying to catch up with his mother.  
  
By the time they reach the town festivities everything is in full swing. "Well where should we lay out our blanket?" Nina asks surveying the green park for empty spaces.  
"There's one!" Sam calls out pointing.  
"It's close to Amy's too!" Delia adds.  
Catching Ephram's expression both Nina and Andy insist, "I think there's more room over there."  
"Besides," Nina adds, "we don't have to crawl over so many people."  
Nina spreads the blue and white checkered blanket out on the ground and Ephram, and everyone else, is surprised to find that all 6, including Rumor's baby carrier, fit on the large blanket.  
Ephram unbuckles Rumor and lifts her out of the carrier setting her on her feet so that she is standing with the help of his hands. Rumor is giggling and bouncing to the beat of the music coming off of the sound stage.  
"You wanna dance Rumor?" Delia asks picking her niece up and dancing around with her.  
"She looks precious Ephram." Nina points out as Delia dances with both Rumor and Sam.  
"Delia bought her the dress." Ephram says, of the sailor outfit dress. The top of the dress was light red with a white sailor collar with a blue strip and the skirt was red and white with a blue stripe at the bottom to, and a hat that Rumor was actually keeping on her head added to the outfit.  
"I have a feeling," Nina states as Ephram jumps to his feet as a couple of towns people come over to see Rumor, "that this little girl is going to be Everwood's princess."  
Andy smiles and nods, "Right after her father's. I was worried he would be distant with her but he worships the group she walks on. Metaphorically speaking of course because she isn't walking yet."  
Nina smiles at Andy, "He's a great father to her."  
  
"Ephram your daughter truly is a gem." Brenda Baxworth states joining the crowd surrounding Ephram, Delia, Sam and Rumor.  
Ephram nods "Thank you."  
"Would you mind if I held held her?" Brenda asks again.  
"No," Ephram shakes his head, "go ahead."  
Sam and Delia take off back to their respective parents bored with the adult conversation that they know is coming. "Is she sleeping through the night yet Ephram?" Jo-Ann Travino asks.  
Ephram nods, "She has been since her mother left her with me."  
"Well that's nice for you then." Jo-Ann comments.  
Ephram nods as Brenda asks, "So have you heard from her mother?"  
Ephram surveys the crowd uncomfortably, "Um, no, she hasn't been in touch."   
"Well that's a shame." Both woman murmur.  
As if tired of talking with her father both woman turn to Rumor talking to her in high pitched voices many people use when talking to a baby. All the attention on her causes Rumor's newly developed shy mood to show itself, she begins whining after only 30 seconds in Brenda's arms.   
"I'm sorry," Ephram apologizes, "she's probably just ready for a nap." Ephram reaches out to take Rumor back but suddenly her tears stop and she reaches out for someone behind Ephram.  
"Hi sweetie." Amy greets taking Rumor out of Brenda's arms.  
"It was nice seeing you again" Brenda and Jo-Ann excuse themselves.  
Rumor wraps her arms around Amy's neck and kisses her on the cheek. "Hi Ephram." Amy greets tentatively.  
"Hi Amy." Ephram responds with the same tone, noticing both Bright and Colin tramping after Amy.  
Amy settles Rumor on her hip and turns to greet her boyfriend, "Rumor do you remember Colin and Bright?" Amy asks.  
Rumor buries her face in Amy's arm and grips her shirt tightly, "I'll take her." Ephram insists pulling Rumor away from Ephram, who immediately does the same thing to her father as she had to Amy. "Happy 4th of July guys, I'll see you all later."  
"Ephram!" Amy calls as Ephram walks away.  
"I'll see you later Amy," Ephram calls over his shoulder, "Have a good picnic."  
Once away from any strangers Rumor pulls her head up and looks around reaching her hand out to Amy, "We'll see Amy later." Ephram whispers as they sit back down on the blanket.  
  
"What was that all about?" Colin asks when Ephram had walked away.  
"Rumor's just shy around everyone outside of her family that's all." Amy replies, "It's not you."  
"You're not her family and she seemed plenty comfortable with you." Colin responds.  
"I guess it's because I spend a lot of time with her." Amy shrugs and she notices her brother slip away from the couple.  
"You're not her mother you know." Colin states sharply.  
"No one ever said I was." Amy snaps.  
"Well you both play the happily little family." Colin glares, "Setting up housekeeping, you know, like you used to do when you were little. Mommy and Daddy and baby makes three."  
"Colin what are you saying?" Amy asks lowering her voice and glancing around her to make sure that no one is watching them.  
"I'm saying that ever since this baby showed up you've done nothing but spend time with Ephram and his family. Trips to the movies, and the mall, the zoo. And I figured out this is good, you know, this guy was there for you when I was in the hospital. He needs your help, I've got a great girlfriend who is willing to help anyone out."  
"So then what's the problem Colin? Why are you suddenly making such a big deal out of this?"  
"Because, Ephram seems fine now. He's adjusted to having a daughter, he has his family, and Nina to help him out. Where do you fit in?" Colin asks.  
"What do you mean where do I fit in?" Amy asks surprised, "We're friends, Ephram is my friend. One of the best I have ever had, when you were in the hospital he was the only one who ever made me feel comfortable."  
"Amy you're always saying when I was the in hospital. I'm not in the hospital anymore, I'm standing right here in front of you and you can't seem to see any further than Ephram and Rumor."  
"Colin I don't know what to tell you. You want me to stop being friends with Ephram? Sorry not happening. Ephram's my friend and I adore Rumor."  
"And where do I fit into all of this?"   
"What kind of a question is that?" Amy asks, "You're my boyfriend, but as to where you fit in with Rumor and Ephram you don't."  
"Fine Amy." Colin turns to walk away from Amy, and then as if on a second thought, "You know what Amy go spend time with your little family, go play Mommy to poor mommyless Rumor, I'm out."  
"Colin!"  
Colin just shakes his head and walks away.  
"Are you OK?" Ephram asks coming up behind Amy.  
Amy turns tearful eyes on Ephram, "You were right."  
"I didn't want to be." Ephram responds.  
"I know."  
"You should try to fix things, forget about Rumor, forget about me, you have Colin that's all you ever wanted." Ephram states softly.  
Amy just shakes her head, "It's over, I think deep down it hasn't been right between us since he came back."  
Ephram steps forward and Amy wraps her arms around him, Amy buries her head in Ephram's chest crying softly. Ephram doesn't say anything only smoothes her hair and waits for her to move away.  
When she finally does Ephram states, "It's going to be all right." 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
Ok well this chapter is going to be hard to write because I am getting over the shock of Amy's...well this is a G rated story so I can't say what she was acting like on Monday...but we all saw so I am correcting her attitude problem in this story...She's the Amy we all used to know and used to love!  
  
"I'll get the door!" Delia calls Friday morning, exactly a week after the 4th of July. "Hi Amy." Delia greets brightly, seeing Amy for the first time since the picnic. "Come in, it's really crazy here, but come in."  
"What's going on that makes the place so crazy?" Amy asks just as Sam calls for Delia.  
"You'll see." Delia responds before dashing off towards the living room where she and Sam have built a fort in front of the TV and are watching a movie.  
"Amy." Ephram appears around the corner wearing an apron and looking like he has just gotten into a fight with the food processor, bits of food cling to his apron, hair and face. "What are you doing here?"  
"Colin's visiting Bright..." Amy let's her sentence trail.  
"Say no more, come in." Ephram responds, "Although you might want to bring a raincoat or something."  
"What's going on?" Amy asks.  
"Trying to make lunch for Delia and Sam and trying to feed Rumor her lunch all at the same time." Ephram replies.   
"Where's your dad?" Amy asks following Ephram back into the kitchen.  
Ephram's voice drops a few decibels, "Nina's divorce is final after a final hearing today so I offered to baby-sit so that my dad could go with her. It seemed like a good idea for awhile, but a 10 year-old a 5 year-old and a newly 7 month-old can make a lot of noise and destroy a house very quickly." Ephram responds.  
"That's right today's the twelfth." Amy states, "Why didn't you call me I would have helped baby-sit."  
"I was kind of hoping you would be spending time with Kayla and Paige or someone today, you know getting out." Ephram responds.  
"Kayla and Paige?" Amy shakes her head, "Nope, I haven't exactly been at the top of their list of favorite people since Colin and I broke up. They seem to think it's just sick and wrong that we would ever break up, a lot of people seem to think that way actually."  
"They'll get used to it." Ephram responds, "You guys will fix things I'm sure, they're your best friends."  
"Maybe." Amy shrugs, "So what can I help you with?"  
Ephram looks around the kitchen Rumor sits in a high chair and Ephram has two pots of something boiling on the stove, "Take your pick."  
"I'll take the food." Amy nods, "That way we only need to hose you and Rumor down, a third person isn't really necessary."  
Ephram just laughs and returns to Rumor, who, as Amy watches, likes to throw half of her food at her father for fun.  
Within minutes Amy has the macaroni and cheese and hot dogs under control and is able to feed the two older children within 5 minutes of her arrival.  
  
"Amy we're bored." Delia and Sam sigh walking up to Amy, who has Rumor in her lap so that Ephram can get cleaned up.  
"What about your fort?" Amy asks.  
"We've been in it for hours." Sam replies.  
Amy nods, it was true they had even eaten lunch in the fort. "Well then what do you want to do?"  
Delia and Sam both shrug, "When's my mom going to be home?"  
"And my dad?" Delia chimes in.  
"Not sure guys." Amy responds, "I'm sure we will figure out something to do, but wait until Ephram comes down, he's your sitter not me."  
"So who wants to go to the park and get some ice cream?" Ephram asks suddenly appearing in the kitchen.  
Amy can't help but smile as both Delia and Sam jump up and down excited at the prospect of ice cream. Their excitement catches on quickly, first Rumor and then the two teens are even feeling as cheerful as the little kids they are baby sitting for.  
Ephram disappears for another moment but reappears with one of those baby carriers you wear in front of you, "What happened to the stroller?" Amy asks as Ephram pulls it on.  
"Rumor didn't like it very much." Ephram responds as Amy helps get Rumor situated in the carrier.  
"She wants to be close to her daddy." Delia responds smiling letting Rumor grab her finger.  
Amy nods, "She loves her Daddy."  
"Well are we going to go?" Ephram asks leading the troupe out the door and beginning the short walk to the park. Despite the short time of the walk Rumor falls asleep before they reach the park and Ephram and everyone order ice cream before Delia and Sam run off to play.  
Amy and Ephram sit on a bench close enough to be in site of the children, "That's the bench Rumor was given to me." Ephram points to a bench only a couple feet away.  
"OK look it's Daddy and little miss I wanna be Rumor's mom." Both Ephram and Amy turn around expecting to see the person who spoke the words, and there Bright stands with Colin looking uncomfortable.  
"Get lost Bright." Amy snaps glaring at her older brother.  
"Why so you and Ephram can continue playing house?" Bright snaps, and although Colin had said the exact same words only days before Bright's words are colder, more harsh and cause Ephram to jump up.  
The sudden movement causes Rumor to wake up and whimper slightly but Ephram continues, "Listen Bright if you want to yell and me and fight then fine. But don't do it now, not with my daughter little sister, and 5-year-old neighbor, not to mention your sister, present. You may be a jackass but this would be taking it a step to far."  
"Man let's just go." Colin insists, "We'll see you around."   
Ephram just shakes is head as they walk away and he can't help but look at Amy who wears an expression of pure rage.  
  
"Ephram someone's hear to see you." Delia calls softly up the stairs.  
Ephram rushes quickly down the stairs to quiet her sister, he yawns and rubs his eyes before finding out who is at the door. Rumor had been cranky since they got home from the park, most likely having picked up on Ephram and Amy's moods, she had resisted her bath and had cried for nearly an hour before falling asleep.  
"Colin." Ephram states surprised to see Amy's ex-boyfriend standing in front of him.  
"Can we talk?" Colin asks quietly.  
"Sure." Ephram nods, more than a little curious to see what Colin Hart has to say. "I'm going to be out on the porch." Ephram calls before grabbing the baby monitor and leading Colin outside.  
"So what do you want to talk about?" Ephram asks once they are outside.  
"I want to apologize for what Bright said today, it was uncalled for. I shouldn't have even said it to Amy on the 4th of July."  
"Listen Colin, I'm sorry about you and Amy I never wanted to come between you and her." Ephram insists quickly.  
Colin nods, "I know, you've been a great friend to her. To both of us, and I wanted to make sure you know that I don't hate you or anything?"  
"I would understand, you know if you did." Ephram responds.  
Colin shakes his head, "No, Amy and I...We were great together last summer. Completely in love, but not the kind of love that lasts forever. She grew as a person while I was in my coma. And I grew as a person when I had amnesia, we both did a lot of growing. But for a relationship to work you have to grow together, we didn't get that down things were never right with us after I got over the amnesia."  
"She said the same thing." Ephram states simply.  
"I know, we talked about it the other night, and I want us to be friends. You, me, Amy and she's going to set me up with Vanessa DeWit. So maybe we can double date sometime."  
"We?" Ephram asks surprised.  
"You and Amy, I figured the instant we broke up you guys hooked up." Colin states.  
It's Ephram's turn to shake his head, "No, we're just friends."  
Colin smirks at Ephram before shaking his head, "I'll put money on the fact that it won't stay that way for long."  
Ephram is about to respond when small cries, which get louder by the second, are heard from the baby monitor, "I'm sorry." Ephram holds the baby monitor up, "I've got to go."  
"Sure man no problem, we're cool right?"  
"Sure." Ephram nods, "We're cool."  
Ephram waits until Colin starts to move away before he hurries inside and rushes upstairs into Rumor's room.  
"What's wrong baby girl?" Ephram asks turning the light on and walking over to the crib where Rumor is standing and bouncing up and down tears streaking down her cheeks. Ephram notices within seconds that Rumor's cheeks are more flushed than they normally would be when she cries. Ephram lifts her quickly out of the feeling her cheeks and forehead quickly, finding them too warm Ephram hurries out of the nursery.  
Ephram has to knock on his father's door twice before Delia comes out of her bedroom to say that Andy is still next door at Nina's. Ephram rushes back into Rumor's room, grabs her pink blanket and draping it over her he hurries downstairs and next door, knocking on Nina's door quickly.  
Sam opens the door half dressed in pajamas with Nina close behind. "Ephram!" Sam exclaims.  
"Hi Ephram," Nina arrives behind Sam wearing an extremely weary expression. "What can I do for you?"  
"Actually is my dad around?" Ephram asks rubbing Rumor's back trying to calm her down.  
"Of course come in." Nina responds, "He's in the living room.  
"Dad!" Ephram exclaims seeing his father shifting through papers.  
"Ephram what's wrong?" Andy asks picking up on Ephram's concerned expression.  
"I think something's wrong with Rumor." Ephram responds, nearly whispering.  
"I'm sure she's fine." Andy reassures taking Rumor from his son.  
"She feels warm and she looks all flushed." Ephram breathes quickly.  
A thermometer and minutes later Andy was able to say, "It's just a simple cold Ephram, nothing to worry about. We'll give her some medicine when we get home and she'll be all right in a couple of days."  
"You're sure?" Ephram asks taking Rumor back from his father.  
"Ephram I'm sure." Andy reassures, "There is some medicine in the cabinet in my bedroom, give her the recommended dosage, I'll be home once I get finished talking with Nina."  
"Sure." Ephram nods wrapping Rumor back in her blanket and walking home.  
  
Ephram yawns for what feels like the millionth time in the last hour glancing at the clock whose little hand points to the 2 and the big hand points to the 6. "Come on baby do you want a bottle?" Ephram paces the 1st floor hoping that Rumor's cries, for the last 3 hours, aren't keeping his father and sister awake.  
Ephram pulls open the refrigerator and pulls out a bottle of of apple juice and surprisingly Rumor quiets down and takes the bottle. Relieved Ephram walks into the living room, he had learned within weeks of Rumor living with him that she liked noise so he turns to the cabinet where all of the families videos are.  
Ephram can't help but sigh when he comes across his various anime tapes, he hadn't watched or picked up a single one since school let out. His gaze continues to travel passed Delia's disney movies and finally settles on the many home videos his mother loved to make. Ephram grabs a tape simply dated 2/5/02 popping it into the VCR Ephram lays down on the couch with Rumor on his stomach.  
Pressing play Ephram takes in a sharp intake of breath as he figures out what the content of the tape was. The scene opened up on Ephram playing the piano with Laine sitting on top of the piano laughing and posing for the camera blowing kisses at Julia who can be heard lightly laughing in the background.  
When Laine leans in to kiss Ephram the sound of Delia gagging can be heard in the background. "That's so gross you guys!" Delia calls, "Don't do that!"  
Laine and Ephram break apart laughing and the camera falls on a slightly younger Delia, wearing her classic baseball cap.  
  
"Good morning Dr. Brown." Amy greets brightly as she comes up the walkway as Delia and Andy walk out of the house.  
"Hi Amy, we're just stepping out to get breakfast, Ephram's asleep on the couch with Rumor."  
"She's got a cold." Delia states.  
Andy nods and continues, "She kept him up most the night but he should have gotten enough sleep now if you want to go in and wake him up."  
"All right, thanks, have fun." Amy lets herself into the house finding Ephram asleep on the couch with Rumor snuggled asleep on his stomach. Stooping down Amy retrieves the remote that Ephram must have dropped when he fell asleep.  
Pressing rewind Amy turns it back on before to long, curious to see the contents of the tape. Kneeling in front of the TV Amy turns the sound down low and watches fascinated at the picture in front of her. Laine, whom she recognizes from the picture Delia showed her, wears a white dress and sits with her legs crossed on the piano singing a song accompanied by Ephram playing the piano. Amy knows the song only slightly, she knows it's from A Walk to Remember, Mandy Moore's Only Hope, at one time the movie might have been a movie Amy would have loved. But by the time it came out it hit to close to the life Amy was living, being in love with someone who was or could die was something she hadn't wanted to be reminded of.   
Laine had a beautiful voice and Ephram's piano skills were so beautiful that Amy couldn't help but have tears fill her eyes. She watched enthralled through the whole song until the video camera is set down and a woman comes into the pictures hugging both Ephram and Laine.   
"That was beautiful you guys, truly beautiful." The woman could only be Julia Brown and she seems to be everything that Amy would expect from what Ephram has said about his mother. Julia must have forgotten about the camera because she walks over to her husband and wraps her arm around him as they watched both Laine and Ephram mock bow.   
In the corner of the picture you can see Delia fiddling with a stereo right before music fills the speakers, and Ephram catches Laine up into his arms twirling her around as they both laugh. When the song ends Ephram dips Laine before she wraps her arms around Ephram and kisses him deeply.   
Julia must have realized by this time that she had left the camera run and after sounds of someone fiddling with the camera and then the screen goes blank.  
"Do you make a habit of sneaking into people's houses and watching their home videos?" Ephram's comment makes Amy jump, scrabbling to her feet she turns to face Ephram who is sitting up on the couch with Rumor on his lap.  
"Your dad and Delia let me in when they left to go to breakfast." Amy stammers.  
"That's fine I'm just kidding." Ephram responds giving Amy a weird look.  
"When was that tape filmed?" Amy asks curiously.  
"Two weeks before my mom died, she loved having Laine and her parents come over for dinner. Our parents would always make Laine sing and me play, it was a kind of tradition I guess."  
Amy nods slowly.  
"What's wrong Amy?" Ephram asks puzzled.  
"It's nothing, it's just you were a completely different person before you moved here. You seemed so much happier....Happier in New York...Happier with Laine." 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
All right well a long chapter for you guys, I thought I would make it especially long since it has been so long since I last updated....I hope you guys like it, review...And sorry about the cliffhanger I just had too....  
  
Ephram set Rumor on the floor and handed her her favorite stuffed animal as he started stunned at Amy. Realizing that Amy looked ready to bolt Ephram grabbed her arm and led her to the couch, "Stay there, don't move. I'm taking Rumor next door to see if Nina can baby sit and we are talking this one out."  
Amy watched Ephram hurry out the door with Rumor and she commenced the inner battle. A part of Amy told her to bolt, that she didn't want to have to have this conversation with Ephram didn't want to sound whiny. But another part, the more logical part told her that, no, she had to stay she and Ephram needed to figure out where they stood once and for all.  
Ephram reappeared more quickly than Amy would have imagined it would take a person to find a baby-sitter. "My Dad and Delia got no further than the driveway. They ran into Nina and they are all going to breakfast...we are invited to go along too, later."  
"Ephram maybe I should go." Amy states suddenly standing up.  
"No." Ephram shakes his head and taking her hand he pulls her down onto the couch next to him, "We need to talk about why you think I was happier in New York then there."  
"Ephram look at that tape, you were so happy in New York. I haven't seen you that happy the entire time I have known you, and the closest I have seen you get is when you are with Rumor." Amy states surprised to sound that the words didn't sound as whiny as they did in her head.  
"Yes," Ephram nods, "I am a different person then when I was in New York. Yes, I did consider moving back to New York last winter. Last year was miserable for me Amy, you have to understand that, I missed New York, we had this weird relationship I didn't understand, and then when Colin came back and we became friends. I hated it, I hated seeing him with you, I'm not going to deny that I was jealous, I was. But then we became friends again, and Rumor happened and, and..." Ephram and Amy lean closer until their lips are only touching ever so slightly. And then the kiss deepened, Amy wraps her arms around Ephram's neck, and one of Ephram's arms are around her waist the other plays with Amy's long hair.   
When they finally break apart both silently try to regain composure, neither had expected this. Both wanted it, there was no denying that, but neither had expected it. Both had spent so many months trying not to kiss again, and both feeling bad for the kissing that had all ready occurred. But now they had no reason to feel guilty, no reason to not kiss and the idea seemed foreign to both of them.  
"The bottom line is," Ephram begins again, "that Everwood is home now, I don't want to go back to New York. There is nothing there for me anymore. My life is here now, with my family, with my friends, with-"  
"Me." Amy finishes and she kisses him again.  
  
"Are you sure you want to take Rumor?" Nina asks one morning a month later.  
Ephram picks Rumor up out of her high chair and carries her over to the sink so that he can clean off her face. "It's fine. We are only going to be at school for about an hour maybe two. We're just picking up our schedules and whatever, we don't have a problem taking Rumor. Besides it's not like anything is going to come as a surprise to the people at school. They know about Rumor, they knew about me and Amy, and while they may not be so cool with it we're going together and I'm taking Rumor. But if you really feel the need to baby-sit we might go out with Colin and Vanessa tonight."  
"We can baby-sit." Andy speaks up from the opposite end of the table Nina sits at, "We were going to rent movies with Sam and Delia and make a night of it."  
Ephram smiles and nods. "OK thanks. Listen I'm going to meet Amy, I'll see you all later."  
  
"You want to go see Amy?" Ephram asks Rumor after he has made sure he has her diaper bag, and everything else necessary for a 9 month old.   
Rumor responds like she normally does, giggling and clapping her hands together in glee.  
  
Ephram and Amy arrive at the corner they had agreed to meet at the same time. Ephram and Amy lean in too kiss and Rumor latches onto to Amy quickly and as Ephram and Amy attempt to pull apart Rumor clings to Amy, kissing her on the cheek and holding tight around her neck.   
Both Amy and Ephram laughs and Ephram lets go of Rumor and Amy adjusts her so she sits on her right hip and wraps her arm around Ephram's waist.   
"Are we going out with Vanessa and Colin tonight?" Ephram asks as he and May begin the 5 minutes walk toward their high school.  
"Is someone going to watch Rumor?" Amy asks.  
Ephram nods, "Nina and Dad are renting a bunch of movies for Sam and Delia, as a last thing before school starts back again."  
"Great, then yeah." Amy responds. "I can't believe it's all ready the Friday before school starts again."  
"Neither can I." Ephram sighs.   
"Did you get Rumor enrolled into the nursery school?" Amy asks picking up immediately on Ephram's main concern about starting back at school again.  
Ephram sighs again and nods, "Yeah. It's a nice place and the people seem really nice. It's just going to be weird not spending the entire day with her."  
Amy doesn't say anything but kisses Ephram softly on the cheek as they arrive at the school  
"Ephram! Amy!" Vanessa calls from across the street.  
Amy and Ephram stop and let Vanessa and Colin catch up with him. Vanessa and Colin were a great couple, Vanessa had moved to Everwood in March from Denver; and since Vanessa didn't know Colin before the accident they were the perfect couple.  
Vanessa and Amy got along really well. Vanessa was about 5'5 with reddish brown hair and a really upbeat, cheerful personality.  
"Hey guys." Amy greets as Vanessa hugs her and then Ephram.  
"Hey man." Colin greets as Amy and Vanessa walk a few steps ahead, anxious to find out their schedules.  
"Great to be back right?" Ephram asks sarcastically.  
"Yeah." Colin rolls his eyes, "This year is going to be interesting. Paige and everyone still ignoring Amy?"  
Ephram nods, "Yeah. It's really great that Vanessa and Amy got so close. You guys were like Everwood's version of Romeo and Juliet or something. I don't know, whatever."  
Colin shrugs, "They're going to have to get over it. Are we all still going out tonight?"  
Ephram nods, "My dad's going to watch Rumor tonight."  
"Vanessa and I were thinking that maybe we could go into Denver?" Colin suggests.  
"What's in Denver?" Colin asks.  
"A new club opened up there last week, we thought we would try it out." Colin replies.  
"It could be cool." Ephram responds.  
  
"How was Denver last night?" Andy asks Ephram the next morning.  
"It was fun, where's Rumor?" Ephram asks, "I got up and she wasn't in her room."  
"She's next door at Nina's, she fell asleep over there and we didn't want to take her up to bring her home."  
Ephram nods, "All right, I'll go get her."  
"Oh Ephram before I forget a friend of yours from New York called last night, Dane Johnson?"  
Ephram gives his father a puzzled look, "Dane called? Did he say if something was wrong?"  
Andy shakes his head, "No, he just told you to call him as soon as possible. Call him on his cell phone he said."  
"I think I'm going to call him before I go to pick up Rumor. Because something might be wrong, I get emails from him all the time but he hasn't called since we moved here."  
"I'll go get Rumor for you." Andy offers.  
"Thanks." Ephram replies picking up the phone and dialing his friend's cell phone number.  
"Hello?"  
"Dane it's Ephram."  
"Ephram." Dane's voice sounds strained.  
"Dane what's wrong?" Ephram asks, immediately knowing for sure that something was wrong.  
"It's Daisy." Dane sounds like he's fighting tears when he mentions his twin sister's name.  
"What's wrong with Daisy?" Ephram asks his heart constricting at the thought of something being wrong with one of his friends.  
"She's in the hospital."  
"What for?" Ephram asks his voice sounding more calm than he feels.  
"They say that her caner's back Ephram." Dane's words come out sounding like gasps.  
Ephram falls silent not knowing what to say to Dane, not knowing what to think even.  
"She wants to see you Ephram." Dane states quietly.  
"I'll be there. Just let me work it out with my Dad and I will be there as soon as I can."  
"Thanks Ephram."  
Ephram says good-bye quickly to Dane before hanging up and going on a search for his father.  
  
"I understand you have to go." Andy states, "but what about school. It starts Monday."  
"Dad one of my best friends is in the hospital, I have to go. The first week of school is nothing, going over rules or something."  
"All right. I'll get you a plane ticket, you go pack, you should probably call Amy."  
Ephram nods, "I will, and I'm taking Rumor with me."  
"Ephram you can't...Who would take care of her while you are at the hospital?"  
"Grandma or Grandpa. Or maybe even Laine or her parents, besides Laine has a right to see Rumor. So do her parents and there is a pair of great-grandparents who haven't met their great-granddaughter."  
Andy seems ready to contest Ephram's statement but instead he nods and picks up the telephone. "You better get packing."  
Ephram nods and hurries up the stairs to his bedroom.  
  
"Amy come in." Andy pulls open the front door surprised to find Amy there. "Did Ephram get a hold of you?"  
Amy shakes her head, "Was he trying to?"  
Andy nods, "He's up in his room you better go talk to him."  
  
"Where are you going?" Amy asks sticking her head in Ephram's doorway.  
"Amy! I've been trying to get a hold of you for like the last half an hour."  
"Oh I was at Vanessa's, what's going on?"  
"I got a call from my friend Dane in New York."  
"What's wrong Ephram?" Amy asks quickly.  
"His twin sister Daisy is in the hospital, they found out that she had cancer 3 years ago, and it's back. Dane and Daisy have been friends of mine for a long time, I have to go."  
"Of course you do." Amy says moving forward to hug Ephram, "Don't worry about anything. You've got either Colin, Vanessa or I in all of your classes we will keep you updated."   
"I know. I'll call you when I get to my grandparents." Ephram replies.  
"I'll miss you." Amy states wrapping her arms around Ephram's waist.  
"I know I'll miss you too." Ephram kisses Amy gently on the forehead. "We're actually leaving for the airport."  
"Is your dad driving you?" Amy asks.  
Ephram shakes his head, "No, there's no reason for him to spend 6 hours in the car going both ways."  
"I could drive you." Amy suggests.  
"That would be great Amy, but you can't, it's your last weekend do something with your friends." Ephram suggests, "And I will see you when I get home."  
  
"Ephram!" Ephram spots his grandparents in their car at the pick up stop they had arranged on the phone. Ephram took a deep breath, his grandparents knew about Rumor and when they ahd found out they had not been nearly as supportive as Andy had been. They had blown up at him telling him that hew as to young to have a child and about an hour more of things, and now was the first time they were going to see Rumor.  
After greetings had been exchanged the silence became so heavy in the air that Rumor must have become uncomfortable because she began whining.  
Ephram lifts her out of the carrier and his grandmother asks softly from the front seat, "Can I hold her?"  
Ephram nods slowly and gently hands Rumor to his grandmother, "She may whine for a little bit, she's really shy around strangers back home."  
"Her skin is so light compared to Laine's and she has your mother's eyes."   
Ephram nods, "I noticed mom's eyes right away."  
True to her father's words Rumor began to make a fuss and eventually Ephram had to take her back. Once she was back in Ephram's arms she quieted and eventually fell asleep, something she had not done the entire plane ride from Denver.  
"Did you want us to take you to the apartment first?" Jacob asks.  
Ephram shakes his head, "I just want to stop by the hospital quick and see Daisy before visiting hours are over."  
"Are you sure? You are both probably tired." Nonny states.  
"Please, I won't be there long and Rumor will probably sleep the entire time anyway." Ephram requests.  
"Of course." Jacob takes the exit that leads to the hospital.  
"Do you want us to go in with you?" Nonny asks when they reach the hospital.  
"You don't have to."  
"All right." Jacob nods, "We'll wait in the car."  
"Do you mind if I leave Rumor with you?" Ephram asks looking at the sleeping baby in his arms.  
"No of course now." Ephram sets Rumor into his grandmother's arms before opening the door and stepping out of the car.  
"Ephram!" Marlee Brink exclaims running towards Ephram and wrapping her arms around his neck. "I can't believe you're here."  
Ephram hugs Marlee and as they pull apart Ephram states, "Of course I came. You guys should have called me soon as she went into the hospital I would have come then. There's a lot you guys shouldn't have kept from me..."  
"Ephram about the baby, it wasn't our place. And your mom had just died..."  
"I can't talk about that now." Ephram shakes his head, "Where is Daisy's room?"  
"I'll take you." Marlee responds quietly, when they stop at the door Marlee suggests, "Why don't you go in alone. Dane is down with his parents getting dinner and Laine's all ready gone."  
Ephram nods and knocking on the door quietly he hears Daisy's quiet "Come in" from the other side.  
"Ephram!" Daisy breaks into a huge smile when he pushes open the door. "You came."  
"Of course I came." Ephram responds moving forward quickly and hugging Daisy, and kissing her gently on the cheek.  
"I didn't want Dane to call you, I know school is starting for you guys soon I didn't want to take you away from that. And with the baby now you must be so busy, but Dane insisted that you would want to know."  
"I'm glad you called." Ephram responds, "You look all dressed up you got a hot date with one of the male nurses?" Ephram asks taking in the dark and light pink shirt with matching headband covering her wisps of blond hair."  
"I didn't want you to take one look at me in my hospital garb and run screaming back to Colorado." Daisy smiles.  
"You wouldn't scare me. I've seen you in the morning, a hospital gown wouldn't scare me." Ephram jokes.  
Daisy smacks Ephram lightly, "Well if you want to know a secret." Daisy pushes back the covers revealing pink pajama pants decorated with white bunnies.  
"That's Daisy." Ephram smiles. "So how are you? Seriously?"  
"Seriously?" Daisy asks. "I've been better, and I've been worse. But I'm glad you're here."  
"So am I." Ephram responds hugging Daisy again. "And I will be here for as long as you need me."  
"Did you bring Rumor?" Daisy asks cautiously.  
Ephram nods, "I figured Laine would like to see her."  
"I, we, everyone's so sorry we never told. We just never knew how, and Laine was so confused about what to do for awhile. Her parents were so stunned they were all just going through all the necessary motions for awhile. And then when the scholarship came Laine just about jumped out of her skin she was so excited but there was no way they were going to let her have the scholarship if she ahd a baby. It's not right but Laine's father knew what would happen and all she could think of was to take the baby to you. I felt so terrible for never telling you."  
"Daisy don't worry about it. It's in the past now, and I love Rumor more than anything." Ephram responds, "I'll bring her by tomorrow OK?"  
Daisy nods, "That would be great."  
"I'll let you get some rest, I think I'll go find your parents and Dane."   
"All right Ephram I'll see you tomorrow." Daisy states her eyes all ready closing.  
Ephram closes the room door behind him heading back toward the parking lot, not the cafeteria, knowing he can't deal with seeing Daisy's parents and Dane.  
  
"I got it!" Amy calls when the phone rings.  
"I got it!" Bright's voice echo's Amy's words as he picks up the phone. "Oh it's you."  
"Bright let me talk to Amy." Ephram insists.  
Bright rolls his eyes and hands the phone to Amy, "Ephram?" Amy asks.  
"Hi."  
"How was your flight?" Amy asks taking the phone and walking toward her room with it.  
"Not bad, Rumor found it all very amusing." Ephram responds.  
"How's your friend?" Amy asks tentatively.  
"Daisy's doing OK. I stopped by to see her before visiting hours close and I'll go back tomorrow morning."  
"Good." Amy responds, not knowing what more to say, "There's not much going on around here. Just the same old, same old. I miss you."  
"I miss you too." Ephram responds, "But listen I should probably get Rumor to bed, it's a three hour time difference."  
"Right, I'll talk to you later." Amy states and as they say their good-byes she hangs up the phone.  
  
"Did you want to leave the baby with us today?" Ephram's grandmother asks the next morning.  
"No. Daisy wants to see her and Laine's supposed to be at the hospital later so she will want to see her too. But thanks. I'll get a cab home." Ephram states.  
"You don't have to do that one of us can come and get you." Ephram's grandfather states.  
"I know. " Ephram responds, "but I don't want to interfere with whatever you have going on. Just completely ignore me."  
"Ephram-"  
"I'm serious you guys I don't know how long I will be here but you don't have to treat me like a guest." Ephram hugs both of his grandparents before leaving their apartment with Rumor.  
  
As Ephram gets out of the cab he can hear someone calling his name, turning he is faced with Laine.  
"Laine." Ephram stops short unsure of what to say to Rumor's mother, she hadn't kept in contact after she abandoned Rumor and he had no idea what she was thinking now.  
"I didn't know you were in New York." Laine states shifting uncomfortably.  
"Dane didn't tell you?" Ephram asks as they fall into step together.  
Laine shakes her head, "No."  
"Oh well here I am." Ephram states watching as Laine's gaze falls on Rumor who is sleeping with her head on Ephram's shoulder.  
"She got big." Laine comments.  
"It's been 3 months." Ephram responds.  
Laine nods, "I know and I should have kept in contact with you...It's just well it was hard for me you know."  
"Of course it would be hard on you." Ephram snaps, "but what did you think it was on me? Easy? All of a sudden I'm 16 and have a 6 month old to take care of."  
"I was 17 does age really make the difference?" Laine snaps back.  
"No it's got nothing to do with the age. It's got to do with the fact that you show up across the country and leave me with a baby, it took me by surprise."  
"You think it didn't surprise and scare the shit out of me when I found out that I was pregnant?" Laine asks.  
"Of course it can't have been easy." Ephram responds, "but you had 9 months to adjust to the idea that your life was completely changed forever. I had about 2 minutes." Probably picking up on her father's tense mood Rumor begins to whine in her sleep, automatically Ephram reaches up and begins to rub her back. "We can't have this conversation here, we're here to see Daisy not argue about what we did wrong."  
Laine nods, "Right."  
"Hi." Daisy's voice sounds feathery soft from her bed.  
"Ephram." Dane sits next to Daisy's bed as they both flip through a manga. "Hey man." The two exchange a handshake they had shared since they were about 7 and Ephram hugs Daisy.  
"Wow look at Rumor, she got so big." Daisy coos making room on the bed for Ephram to set Rumor down.  
Ephram attempts to set Rumor down but she won't budge, she hadn't slept much the night before and she's cranky. Ephram shrugs and apologizes, "I think she is having a problem with the time change."  
Daisy nods understandingly, "My doctors supposed to stop by to tell us what's what."  
"What do you think he'll say?" Ephram asks.  
"Probably that another round of chemo is going to make everything better." Daisy shrugs, "Not fun, but I can deal with it."  
"Everything's going to be better." Marlee states brightly running a hand through her short spiky black hair.  
An hour later as the group continues to talk about everything, what Ephram has missed in the year he has been gone, the new anime/manga that Daisy and Dane were into and more , the doctor comes in followed by Dane and Daisy's parents, Grace and Harley Russel.  
"Ephram we heard you were in town." Grace hugs Ephram before the doctor begins to speak.  
"If you kids wouldn't mind we need to talk in private." The doctor states, aiming his words at Laine, Ephram and Marlee.  
"I want them to stay." Daisy states, "They're my friends and we are going to have to tell them everything anyway I want them to stay."  
The doctor shrugs, "If that's what you want."  
"It is." Daisy responds.  
"We're fine with it." Harley adds.  
The doctors words as he began to speak were a blur and all Ephram could get out of it was that there wasn't anything else they were going to be able to do. Some transplant, something they must have all ready talked about, wasn't going to work for Daisy and that even the chemo wasn't going to work.  
The group fell silent for a long time until Daisy finally asked, "Am I going to die?"  
The doctor nods sadly, "I'm afraid so."  
"How long?" Daisy whispers, the only able to find the use of her vocal cords.  
"6, maybe nine months." The doctor responds, "I am so sorry Daisy I wish there was more that we could do but there really isn't."  
"What about the chemo?" Harley asks, "Won't that help her?"  
"If we put Daisy back on the chemo it would lengthen her life maybe 3 months, but it won't save it."  
Daisy sits up in bed and despite the tears in her eyes her words are firm, "I don't want to go back on chemo. All it does is make me even more sick, and if it's not going to save me then I would rather feel well for 9 months then be sick for 12. Please don't put me back on the chemo."  
  
"Ephram are you OK? Do you want to talk about it?" Andy asks over the phone that evening. "I'm sure this news is really hard for you."  
"I want to move back to New York." Ephram responds, "To live with grandma and grandpa." 


	5. Chapter 5 Final Chapter

All right guys here's the final chapter, I may do a sequel or something but let me know what you think....  
  
Chapter 5:  
  
"Dad?" Ephram asks cautiously, unsure of how is father took his news.  
Andy, finally having found his voice states, "Is that what you want?"  
"I wouldn't have suggested to you that I wanted to stay if it wasn't would I?" Ephram asks.  
"Ephram I know you are upset about the news Daisy's doctor gave you today." Andy states, "But are you sure you want to move back to New York?"  
"Dad, Daisy's, Daisy's dying..." Ephram breaks down into sobs at his own words and Andy attempts at comforting words from the other line, "I have to stay."   
"Right." Andy states, "I'll work everything out with your grandparents don't worry about anything."  
"Thanks dad." Ephram gasps through his tears.  
"Why don't you get some sleep Ephram, it's been a hard day, and I will talk to your grandparents."  
Ephram knows his father can't see his nod but he does anyway and he calls out into the hallway for his grandparents to pick up the phone.  
And when they have Ephram curls up on his bed thinking about everything. Daisy and Dane had been friends with Ephram as long as Laine had, they had lived in the same apartment building with Marlee also and they had grown up together. They had gotten in trouble at just about every turn, they had discovered manga together and became obsessed together. They had all rallied around Daisy when she had been sick when they were 13 and then again when Ephram's own mother had died a year and a half ago. Daisy was the best person Ephram had ever known, she was a total sweet heart, usually taking the wrap for whatever trouble the entire group found themselves in. Not that it really mattered, she had been able to sweet talk her way out of anything and into anything she wanted to. With thoughts about his childhood Ephram finally fell into an exhausted sleep.  
  
When Ephram arrived at the hospital the next day he found his friends in much of the same condition he was in, red rimmed eyes and dark circles under them. "Hey Ephram." Everyone greets looking away from the television where they are watching Ranma ½.  
"Where's Rumor?" Laine asks immediately.  
"Shopping with my grandmother." Ephram responds.  
Laine nods and Marlee asks, "So how long are you and Rumor actually in New York for?"  
"Actually that's something I wanted to talk to you guys about." Ephram states.  
"What's going on Ephram?" Daisy asks pushing her self into a sitting position.  
"I talked to my dad last night." Ephram friends sit in expectant silence, "I told him I want to move home and he agreed that, well under the circumstances he thinks it won't be a bad idea. He's arranged everything with my grandparents, I am moving home."  
"Oh my gosh Ephram that's great!" Marlee throws her arms around Ephram and Dane and Ephram exchange their 9-year-old handshake.   
Ephram doesn't have time to notice Daisy's silence as Laine states, "Ephram can I talk with you?"  
Ephram nods, "Sure. We'll be back."  
"We haven't really had a chance to talk since you got here." Laine states as they walk into the hallway.  
Ephram nods, "I know and I'm sorry we should have settled all of this before hand. And I probably should have told you that I was considering moving back before I told everyone. But it really was kind of last minute."  
"Ephram I need to talk to you about Rumor." Sadness crosses Laine's soft features.  
"What about her?" Ephram asks glancing sharply at Laine.  
Laine takes a deep breath, "Even if you are back to stay for good I can't be a mother to Rumor. I was serious Ephram if the people at the college find out that I am a teenage mother they will take my scholarship and acceptance away, they need serious students and they will think that with a child I won't be as dedicated as most other students."  
"How can you-" Ephram stares stunned at his ex-girlfriend.  
"I love Rumor." Laine insists, "It's not a matter of whether or not I love her so don't even question that. But I can't be her mother, I'm just...You are great with her. And I can see you will be a great father to her but I can never be the mother she needs."  
Ephram shakes his head at Laine, not understanding the words coming out of her mouth. Now that she was in his life Ephram can't comprehend not having her in. "Laine I have to respect your decision, I admit that I don't understand it, but I have to respect it."  
Laine nods, "Thank you."  
"I have to go clear my head and I have to call Amy. Tell everyone I will be back later."  
Laine nods and Ephram walks away from her without another word.  
  
"Amy phone!" Bright calls upstairs.  
"Who is it?" Amy asks bounding down the stairs.  
"Brown." Bright mutters before turning his attention back to the TV.  
"Ephram!" Amy exclaims grabbing the phone away from her brother and heading back upstairs. "How are you? How's Rumor?"  
"..."  
"Good. How's you're friend?"  
"..."  
Amy gasps at the response Ephram gives her, "Oh Ephram I'm so sorry, an there isn't anything they can do for her?"  
"..."  
"Oh Ephram I really am so sorry, is there anything I can do?"  
"..."  
"Sure, what do you need to talk to me about?" Amy asks.  
"..."  
"You can't be serious."  
"..."  
"I know, and I'm really sorry about Daisy, but moving back to New York?" Amy asks feeling the tears well up in her eyes.  
"..."  
"I know your sorry Ephram, and I'm sorry to. But I mean she's your friend of course you should stay."  
"..."  
"No, I'll be OK. I mean it's not like I want you to leave but I understand." Amy states pushing back tears.  
"..."  
"I don't know what to think right now about you moving Ephram, let alone about us. Listen I should probably go, I mean school starts tomorrow. I'll talk to you later, and I really am sorry about your friend." When Amy finally hangs up the phone she bursts into tears. Amy is so lost in her own world she doesn't hear the doorbell ring but the knock at the door brings Amy out of her thoughts.  
"Come in." Amy calls softly.  
Vanessa pushes open the door and taking one look at Amy she rushes to her side, "Amy what's wrong?"  
Amy pushes the tears off her cheeks and whispers, "He's not coming back, he's moving back to New York."  
"Oh Ames." Vanessa murmurs hugging Amy, rubbing her back as Amy cries.  
  
"Hey Amy how are you doing?" Colin asks coming up to Amy the next morning at school.  
Amy offers a weak smile, "I guess I'll live."  
"Of course you will." Vanessa states slipping an arm around Amy's shoulder. "With school stating back you'll have lots of stuff to keep your mind on."  
Amy nods, "Right and on to first hour."  
"We all have first hour together at least." Colin points out.  
"Right." Amy nods, "Fun."  
"OK Ames come on and cheer up." Vanessa urges handing Amy a can of soda, "Caffeine, can't steer you wrong."  
Amy accepts the soda and the trio continues to class.  
  
"Amy you have to come out with us tonight." Vanessa urges Friday, two weeks later. "Come on it will be fun."  
Amy rolls her eyes, "Yeah barrels of fun to top off my wonderfully awesome week."  
"In the last week you have become entirely to cynical so you are coming." Colin states, "We are surprising you and we are picking you up right after school. We've cleared everything with your Mom so deal with it."  
"Right," Vanessa nods, "we are on a mission to cheer you up and by golly if we have to drive to the end of the earth to do so we will."  
  
"OK." Amy asks sitting in the backs seat of Vanessa's white blazer, blindfolded. "When you said you were going to the end of the earth to cheer me up were you serious? Because that is what this feels like."  
Vanessa and Colin exchange glances, "Ames sit back, relax and enjoy the music." Vanessa states. "The ride is only about half over."  
Amy sighs and leans back against the back seat thinking over the last two weeks. If she thought Paige and Kayla and the rest of her friends were going to get over Colin and Amy's break up she was wrong. They were still as angry and Amy honestly didn't understand why. Not that Amy exactly minded at this point in time because the week without Ephram had been hard. Amy hadn't realized how much of her daily life Ephram had become in only the last year, he had truly become her best friend and confidant and despite the fact that Vanessa was great she was still having problems without him.  
The car door slamming woke Amy, who must have fallen asleep through her thoughts, "Are we finally here?" Amy asks.  
"Yes. " Colin responds, "But you have to stay in the car for right now until we can get everything set up."  
Amy shakes her head, not wanting to be here, wanting more to just curl up in her bed and forget everything instead.  
"All right Grover." Colin states pulling open the door and helping Amy out of the blazer. "All right now stand right here and take of your blindfold....now."  
Amy pulls at the material covering her eyes and she has to blink against the sun for a couple seconds before her eyes can focus. Her first gaze falls on Vanessa who is holding Rumor and with a bright smile Amy's gaze falls directly in front of her.  
"Ephram!" Amy cries running toward him. Ephram immediately wraps his arms tightly around Amy, "What are you doing here?" Amy finally asks tears filling her eyes. "I thought your Dad was shipping everything out to you?"  
Ephram smiles down at Amy and shakes his head, "There's been a change of plans."  
Amy burst into tears and kisses Ephram deeply.  
"Let's get Ephram and his stuff home." Vanessa insists.  
  
Ephram kisses Amy on the top of her head as she sleeps she is curled up with him on his couch back in Everwood and while she sleeps Ephram can't help but think about Daisy's last request to him.  
  
~*~Flashback~*~  
Ephram walks into Daisy's room to find her hospital room empty the second week Ephram had arrive in New York. "Where is everyone?"  
"I wanted to talk to you alone." Daisy responds  
Ephram walks over to her bed and Daisy scoots over to make room for him to sit down, "Oh yeah? What about?"  
Daisy smiles but her blue eyes look sad, "When you said you were moving home it wasn't true."  
"What do you mean do you mean it's not true?" Ephram asks surprised, "I'm moving back to New York."  
Daisy hugs Ephram, "I love you to death Ephram, really I do, I love you for moving back for me. But moving to New York wouldn't be moving home. Home is where the heart is and your heart isn't in New York anymore. You left your heart in Everwood, with Amy. With your Dad and Delia and your new friends. I can't let you move back to New York. I love you for wanting to, but what kind of best friend would I be if I let you move back because I'm sick."  
"I wasn't asking your permission." Ephram asks getting defensive.  
Daisy smiles, tears coming to her eyes, "I know but I want to be happy with the time I have left. You want me to be happy right?"  
"Of course." Ephram responds quickly, feeling guilty for getting angry with her.  
"I know. And you know what would make me happy?"  
"What?"  
"To get emails from you about how great everything is going for you in Everwood. And to get pictures from you of how big Rumor is getting, and a picture of you and Amy. That would make me happy, and I love the gesture of you moving back, but I would feel guilty about you leaving Amy for me."  
"Daisy..."  
"Ephram I see it in your face, you are in love with this girl. And that makes me so happy you have no idea. Please just do this for me." Daisy asks taking Ephram's hands.  
"If it's really what you want."  
Daisy nods, "It is."  
Ephram takes Daisy into his arms and kisses the top of her head and the two sit like that for a long time and finally Daisy breaks the silence "And one more thing Ephram."  
"What is it?" Ephram asks.  
"When I go I don't want you coming back." Daisy states.  
"You can't mean that!" Ephram exclaims.  
"I can and I do. I want you to remember me as a happy person always Ephram, and I don't want your final thought of me to be a funeral."  
"Daisy..." Ephram can't find the words to say anything.  
"Please Ephram, think of me when we were little at the pool or whatever, just don't think of me sick in the hospital. You've had to much pain, it's time for you to take Rumor and be with Amy and be happy."  
"I love you to death you know that right?" Ephram asks hugging tightly as tears come to his eyes, thinking of all the time they had spent together.  
"Yup." Daisy nods, "And you are the best none blood related brother a person could ever have."  
~*~End Flashback~*~  
  
"Ephram?" Amy stirs in Ephram's arms and brings him out of his thoughts.  
"Yeah Amy?" Ephram asks.  
"What made you change your mind? About moving to New York I mean." Amy asks.  
"This is Rumor and my home now, not New York. This is where we need to be." Ephram responds.  
"Home is where the heart is." Amy quotes.  
Ephram nods, "That's right." And leans in to kiss Amy. 


End file.
